The New Beginnings
by MMA123
Summary: The Shinobi world has changed since It's fourth war; peace has reigned over the hidden villages since the historic bout and triumph over madara uchiha...or so…it has appeared…join and follow this story that takes place nearly 100 years after our heroes have saved the world and now are all mere legends and war heroes for a new cast of saviors to look up and aspire to surpass!
1. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to naruto or any of its characters, Masashi Kishimoto does.

Authors notes: It's been quite some time since I've updated so I want to apologies (MAJORLY!) for the wait. I've been working really hard to refine and fine tune events of this story ( lots of notes!) so I believe the wait will ultimately be worth it!

Here are a few notes for this fic:

1.) This is a story taking place after the events of the canon naruto series. ( post the fourth shinobi World War)

2.) **WARING SPOILER!** - You can expect MANY of the familiar faces of the original series to make an appearance.

3.) I want everyone that's even mildly interested in this story to know that I am fully invested in it and have quite a few plans and ideas to take the story into. I just hope you all enjoy it ( if even just a little.)

so please keep this in mind, even if I happen to take a little while to update do not presume that I've given up on this project.

4.) I would like to thank everyone that has and will read through my fic, it really means A lot and I appreciate your time and hope you review, follow or just stay tune to the stories progression.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: Ayame Uchiha<strong>

Blood, war, and death.

That is all my vision sees, the rain heavy as I move faster than any of my enemies. I move like lightning with deadly precision, skill and awareness dispatching them.

Dozens of them come with every passing second.

As I pierce through their vital points, my mind begins to feel a strange sensation.

"He's so fast!" I hear voices mutter, "fallback! fallback! He's too fast!"

And indeed I am.

"Yes" I smirk.

What a fearful bunch they are; they are like children, cowering in fear... I pity them...

"Die with honor and beside your fellow clansmen, even if the situation looks hopeless, that is the way of my clan" I say, unsheathing my blade as I dash towards the scum abandoning their fellow clansmen.

"Please don't! Spare me aaagh!" I hear the cowards plead and beg, but to no avail. Instead they are struck with countless kunai's and other projectiles at my disposal.

These attacks are not meant to kill, instead they are meant to leave them injured and in great pain.

Those that beg or run do don't deserve a swift death.

Before they die I let them watch as their clansmen receive a more honorable death.

In the blink of an eye, I grab my blade and pierce through their vital organs, immediately killing them.

As I do this I feel it happen again, that same sensation from before.

This feeling.

This strange and eerie satisfaction, one that feels disturbingly familiar.

Yet, liberating.

Soon my adrenaline rises to the point where I am instinctively moving faster and faster!

Until I finally come to; getting a hold of myself.

I force my body to a complete halt; the mud and rain flying pass my feet and into the distance. I turn my head slightly, and from behind see the massive streak of corpses I had made.

A brief and light exhale under my breath sends an ominous chill down my spine as I close my eyes to soak the moment in. Suddenly, my attention is grabbed by the sound of an entire army approaching.

"There he is! Get him! He's the one!"

The reinforcements, I hear them approaching closer, their numbers within the hundreds.

"Bastard! You're going to pay for what you did!"

They throw their weapons and clan flag up high into the air, charging towards me and beginning to form suiton ninjutsu hand seals.

I respond by forming katon hand seals. The burning sensation in my throat alerts me that it is ready. I give them one last nod, and with that, open my mouth to release the huge flames that had begun to burn deep within my lungs.

That took some of them out…to say the least.

The flames I created now stood massive over me, obscuring my vision. I barely see the kunai that had slipped through the fire.

But it was blocked.

"Always the hasty one, aren't we brother?" the man says , his back towards me. He returns the kunai he used to block the attack into a small weapon pouch around his waist.

As he turns his head to my direction, I notice the logo of the Uchiha on his back.

Suddenly I hear more approaching from behind me.

They are all Uchiha clan members as well.

Within moments an entire army of them forms behind me us as they welcome me and ready their weapons and sealing stance.

The last bit of flame I had created clears away, revealing the other portion of the enemies' army. Now the battle between these two clans quickly rages on.

but not for long.

Hours that felt like mere minutes pass and fade as we massacre the remaining reinforcements.

"Brother." I hear the man call to me again, moving his hair to the side and wiping the blood and sweat away from his face. I now see it, his eyes, he bears the Sharingan as well. "Next time you shouldn't charge ahead like that. You get to drawn into the battle and get careless."

More clan members start to gather around us.

"We were fortunate this time," he says looking at them.

"few where injured."

He then switches his attention to two approaching members carrying an injured uchiha, together they gently place him on the ground as the man approaches the injured clansmen.

He sighs in grief, helping the injured clansmen position himself for medical attention. "Aaaah!" the injured clansmen screams and grunts; holding the right side of his rib and spitting out blood that leaks from his mouth.

"Still.." the man begins, pausing for a moment as he looks at the injured clansmen in agony.

"the enemy may have been weak but they had much greater numbers over us." He finishes

I approach him alongside many other uchiha's as we collectively transfer our chakra to a female member, who immediately tends to the injured clansmen.

Suddenly, we hear a cry from the distant.

We follow the screams, only to lead us to the last remaining survivor of the enemies' clan. He screams in pain begging for death, his entire right foot crushed by a massive rock that hid him from the battle.

"My brother, what should we do with him?" the man ask's me.

"He will seek revenge if we let him live. It is only natural, his entire clan was just slaughtered before him."

I now see myself unsheathing my blade as the last surviving enemy continues to scream. "You and your clan have fought well" I say, stabbing him through the heart.

I lift my blade and watch the blood slither down the sides. I faintly see a reflection looking back at me. A reflection I have seen before.

I know this person, this is Uchiha Mardara!

I suddenly wake up to the sound of thunder. My chest feeling tight, making it hard to breath. I gasp for air, quickly sitting up. As the time slowly passes, I begin to calm down.

Why do these dreams keep haunting me? I'm in these dreams, and yet, it's not me. It's like I'm another person.

Why is it Madara though? It's always him. Everything seems too familiar. Everything's too clear. It's almost as if my dreams were memories..


	2. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 2

It started gradually, nearly two years ago when I was 12 years old, but now it happens almost every night … these strange dreams... dreams that seem more like… memories.

I sigh, turning my body to the right side of my bed. My pillow feeling soft as I rub my face against its gentle surface. "hmm.." I softly exhale, feeling my eyes heavier.

_maybe I'm just over thinking things….they're just dreams after all….yes, just.. dreams.._

I feel my eyes slowly closing.

The comfort from my bed ease's my tension. I begin feeling at ease; more peaceful as my eyes completely shut… but only for a moment…I'm still too frightened to let myself completely back to sleep.

As I slowly begin to open my right eye, I see it.

The pill.

" What the?.. " I begin to make out, opening both eyes wide.

_how did that get there?_

A cup of water is placed next to the pill tablet; it stands on top of the small cabinet beside my bed. The pill has a napkin placed beneath it as well.

I rise from the comforts of my bed to make sure I'm not hallucinating it..…and.. I'm not…

...

Nearly half an hour passes as I contemplate whether or not I should take it. Usually I just throw the pills out from my window before going to bed, but they weren't there as I went to sleep.

..I thought it was strange not seeing them; Hitomi usually leaves them for me to take before I go to bed, but she must not have been able to for some reason…

If so, then it must have been Kouta who put them there…I mean, there isn't anyone else that could have done it…

I continue to stare down the pill for several minutes; biting my nails and looking harder at it anxiously.

_Should I…. take it or not? I mean...I can't keep avoiding this, it's been nearly a month and a half this time….but I've felt so much better without them._

In fact, as strange as it sounds, I've felt more comfortable in my own skin than I've ever had before.. these nightmares though, they only fade away whenever I take the pills.

"_Dammit"_ I mutter in frustration.

I have to take it, even if it means…feeling.."trapped" again. I can't allow these nightmares to continue; as much as I try to play them off they're really beginning to scare me...

It's just…gosh these pills… they don't feel right, they never have. They make me feel like I'm caged; like I'm in a state of constant claustrophobia. I also feel like I'm at half strength whenever I take the pills and controlling my chakra properly as become much more difficult.

I've learn to adapt to these restriction somewhat since taking the medication but it can still be very difficult to perform at my best.

_heh, It's amazing that I still only barely lose to Satsuki…_

_hmm...without these pills, the gap in power between her and I would be… gone….I could probably even beat her…_

…_yea, I'm not taking this pill.._

"_I refuse to."_ I utter pouting away at the pill and crossin my arms..

However...

My guilty conscious begins to overwhelm me as I feel it's incessant impulse's slither through my psyche.

from here, It doesn't take long for my stubbornness to subside as I continue to contemplate on my bed; thinking about the stories told to me of when I was a child and how they all say this mental illness of mine caused me to go on these extremely violent outbreaks.

The last outbreak I had was when I was 6 and from what they tell me, the incident was beyond anything anyone could ever expect such a small child to be capable of..

I was uncontrollable until these pills came into the picture.

They tell me that the pills stabilized my mind and chakra, allowing only specific messages and energies to be "transmitted or blocked from within..." I'm not even exactly sure what that means but that's because Hitomi and the medical specialists always seem to explain things differently to me.

Truthfully, I'm not even sure they know exactly what's wrong with me; their explanations are always different and even contradict one another at times.

However, what they do all seem to say is that under no circumstance can I or do I stop taking the pills.

Hitomi tries to make sure that I take them at least 3 to 4 times a week by leaving them beside my bed before I sleep.

It's practically her job now…

_which she makes sure is ALWAYS done…_

I sigh feeling my anxiety rise higher.

_She will eventually find out…..that much is certain…_

she's able to notice many things Seiji tries to hide and has an unbelievable ability to read others without needing much to be said from them.

I sigh again, slowly reaching my hand out to the pill.

As I do this, I hesitate once more before grabbing the pill and shoving in my mouth.

I then close my eyes, forcing myself to swallow it down.

As I reach out for the glass of water - something suddenly hits me!; A sharp pain, one that surges through my head causing me to go limb and collapse from my bed and onto the floor.

I'm unable to move now, twitching on the ground. " Ah-a- Ack - ug- ugh" I mutter illiterately, stuttering with my mouth and eyes wide open; unable to close them.

_What's happening to me!?_

This feels so painful yet I can't yell or scream! I feel the pain start to focus towards eyes and like a target being shot at, it hits me all at once.

I yell as loud as I possibly can, screaming at the top of my lungs!

"My eyes!" I scream, "My eyes!"


	3. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 3

I can't see anything as I close my eyes but I feel the unbearable pain coming from them.

It feels as if acid is burning through my sockets, I scream and yell holding my eye's down, tightly forcing pressure to somehow ease the pain.

" AYAME!?" I hear bang through my front door.

"AYAME!? ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?"

_it's Hitomi…dammit, if she sees me like this she'll start asking questions. I know her; she can't help it and I can't have her even suspecting that I'm not taking the pills…_

I need to think of something quick.

"AAAGH!" I yell out again, feeling something drip from my eyes...and with that... a strange sense of relief from the pain as well...

"AYAME!?" I hear Hitomi yell out; banging through my front door harder and harder.

"I'm breaking through this sealed door right now!" I hear her shout out.

_Dammit, I have to move faster… and I think I have an idea on what to do!_

it came to me as hitomi's voice alarmed me.

In that brief moment, I noticed my chakra surge directly through my eyes, and with that, felt the pain dissipate for a moment. If I try repeating the same process maybe this pain will begin to fade away again..

_I just need to focus…controlling chakra has always been difficult for me.._

I ball both fists of mine as I release them from my eyes and slowly lay them beside me. Now I concentrate on relaxing my hands and the rest of my body, swallowing a massive gulp of spit in the process.

I position myself vertically on the floor beneath my bed; my arms are to my side and my legs are lined straight together un-apart. I begin channeling my chakra into my eyes and ignore the pain to the best of my ability; even lightly biting my lower lip as I endure the pain and focus harder.

Suddenly, I feel the pain begin to fade away…

The dripping from eyes however seems to be increasing; I can feel it drip off my eyes, continuously, from the side of my face and into the floor. The dripping steadily slides down all over my face, even finding its way into my ears and mouth. This quickly frustrates me as I try to rub some of it away from my mouth.

As I spit some of it away, I begin to recognize the taste….yes, I know it..

_This is blood_.

I've tasted it enough times to know it whenever I bite my thumb and perform a summoning.

_Why is blood coming from eyes?_

As I ponder this I feel my eye sight slightly returning to me….the visual clearing with each moment.

I squint my eyes continuously from its initial blur and the first sight I see immediately startles me.

My hands are covered in what appears to be black...blood… The same blood that was coming my eyes!


	4. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 4

Hitomi comes bursting through my front door; A long sealing scroll rolled down from behind her thrown to the ground as she rushes towards me.

In a frantic panic, she picks me up from where I lay and places me on my bed, posturing and positioning me in order to better check my condition.

Hitomi places my head against her lap, checking my pulse and breathing pattern as she brushes my long black chaotic hair aside.

I can only image how I look, my pale disoriented face coupled with the blood stained tears all over myself and bed must have really alarmed her.

I feel her hectic panicked motion moving all about as she struggles to get my attention.

" Ayame!? Can you hear me?! Ayame!? I hear hitomi cry; shaking me in the process.

I've lost the brief control I had over my body once again..

I don't know what's going on but my body's just shut down on me..I feel so weak and almost completely drained of energy.

My eye sight fades off and on as I vaguely make out hitomi's face….

_Yes…she's..she's staring straight at me…almost face to face. _

I could already tell from the earlier sensation of her breath against my cheek. I'm in such a daze but I can still just make out the freighted terror in her face.

She curses into the air, removing me from her lap and leaving the room, but only momentarily, as she returns with a bowl of what appears to be some kind of green liquid…

Holding my head up steady, hitomi pulls me forward up against her chest; her heart beat pulsing through my ear drum as she speaks to me.

"Ayame! please drink this to the best of your ability and no what matter happens just keep drinking it!"

she begins pouring the liquid down my mouth.

I gag.

Immediately feeling its warm slim enter down my throat.

I begin to breathe harder, struggling to swallow the slim that continues to enter my mouth.

This process quickly becomes too much to endure.

hitomi is soon forced to stop my attempts at spitting the slim away as she forces me into ingesting it all.

_Gosh, It taste's is so bad!...Slimy, thick and warm oozing down into my stomach!_

At first, it seems as though drinking this slim is only serving to make this ordeal worse….but in moments, it actually begins to relax me and even energize my body.

As a surge of energy begins to return to me, I can feel myself gaining more control over my movements. Soon after, I stop fighting the force of swallowing the slim and hitomi holding my head up steady, gradually removes the bowl away from me.

I cough and shake the goose bumps away; my heavy breathing beginning to slow down as I feel her warm touch against my cheek.

"Easy….eaasy now.." she whispers gently to me; laying me down on my bed as she drops the bowl of slim beneath the floor.

I cough continuously, squinting my eyes in the process and to my surprise, notice my vision completely returning to me. I can see and also feel the thick slimy ooze all over my mouth and bed sheets.

hitomi gives off a huge sigh of relief, pulling her body back against my bed as she relaxes herself.

She then turns to me with a smile.

"Are you alright?"

I nod.

"heh", she chuckles in relief, turning her head away as she closes her eyes.

"you scared me half to death you know? I mean gosh, what in the world was happening to you?"

"I'm.. Im not sure…" I respond.

" I just woke up this way…I was having these bad dreams and - "

" wait bad dreams?" she interrupts me, opening both eyes.

"Yes" I answer.

Her eyes widen as she pauses into a focused but lost train of thought. She suddenly looks at the surroundings of my bed and notices the black tears of blood stained all around my bed sheets and floor.

"my god.. what is this?" hitomi remarks, picking up a portion of the blood stained sheets.

"I don't know, but it came from my eyes…"

hitomi immediately lets go of the sheets, reverting her attention to the small cabin where the pill laid.

"Have you taken your pill?" she ask's me.

"Yes!" I respond immediately..… "I have".

"when?"

"Just a few minutes ago" I answer.

"I didn't see them placed where you normally put them..."

"..I see…" hitomi says, pausing for a moment.

"shit.." she curses under her breath, getting up from my bed and turning her back to me.

she sighs with a surprisingly frustrated tone, holding her fist against her chin as she continues to ponder in her own thoughts.

"..dammit Oonigumo…" she mutters under her breath once more.

"…what was that?" I ask attempting to get up from my bed.

"nothing, it's...don't worry about it…I – hey, hey!" she blurts out, rushing to me and immediately discarding her previous thoughts as she reverts all her attention towards me again.

"take it easy, Don't try to move just yet okay? …I..I don't' know exactly what's going on he but I–"

"WHO GOES THERE!" a loud voice cuts off hitomi from beyond my room.


	5. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 5

"ooh god no..." hitomi bellows out, already knowing who would make such a loud overdramatic ruckus in the middle of the night. She smacks her forehead creating the infamous facepalm that only one all too familiar fool could force her to make.

"I SAY WHO GOES THERE!" We hear the voice approaching closer.

And before we are able to respond, in comes kouta shunshining into my bedroom with his remarkably fast body flicker.

he dashes directly in front of us, kneeled on top of my bed dramatically with his head faced down and both fist's balled fairly into my bed.

he then begins to speak...

"…what, boy….." he mutters hysterically, silencing for a moment as his voice shakes…. "What..wh-WHAT BOY! "he repeats even louder...

"WHAT BOY DARES TO TREPASS INTO A TRUE MANS KINDOOOOOOM!" He shouts out rising to his feet.

Kouta then pauses in his signature heroic stance, his arms to his sides like a superhero...he's also wearing nothing but his infamous yellowed smilie faced tighty whities...

Hitomi and I share a moment of silence as we watch him awkwardly stand like this for a moment.

He then points up into the ceiling…

_randomly._

...

_..and At absolutely NOTHING…_

Kouta quickly looks down at me and then hitomi, trying to form an authoritative and threatening expression, but only manages to form one that even a child could not take serious

"...um, why are you standing on my "–

"SILEEENCE!" He shouts; cutting me off and pointing directly at me as he shunshin's himself back to my front door.

"SO!…..this BOY your trying to sneak in is cleaver, hmmm.. indeed, somehow he's released the seal I placed on this doo – OUCH! hey!" he cries out as a right slipper thrown from hitomi hits his face.

"It wasn't a boy you idiot, it was me. " she responds with her usual annoyed reaction to his shenanigans.

"oh was it now?!" kouta responds, raising his index finger as if enlightened while the slipper from hitomi slips down his face.

"SO THEN!..." he hollers out, casually looking around my room and walking slowly in suspicious..

"if there isn't any boy in here as you say.. Then I suppose you wouldn't mind if I look here!" he abruptly blurts out opening my closet door and immediately turning at both of us with yet another incredibly strange and awkward expression...

_that only he seems to be able to make..._

"hmm...well played" he exclaims with a smile.

".. yes, but I know this boy is actually hiding here!" he calls out, diving deep inside a pile of clothing within my closet...in which he begins to throw out onto the floor of my room.

Hitomi and are speechless as we watch him bolt through my room; looking through every possible space for a boy..

he even goes as far as looking through my trash and toilet seat inside the bathroom of my room.

"you can't hide from me!" he shouts out, looking down into the toilet seat.

"for the love of! - it wasn't a boy! it was me who broke the seal!" hitomi finally speaks out to him.

"Wh- wha - what!? you!? My own wife?! Betrays me!?" he yelps in dismay, with his head still deep within in the toilet.

"I already told you it was me! are you always this forgetful!? And get your head out from the toilet! You look like an even bigger idiot than usual."

"Hmm…oh, oooh, okay, I see now, haha!" he chuckles as he removes his head away from the toilet…

" yea um I guess I was wrong then...yup, nothing to do now but just leave!...and.. and not come back! yes! here I go... leaving noooow!"

kouta walks away mischievously shouting these painfully obvious and misleading claims..

As he steadily begins shutting my front door that creeks in front of him, he smiles and chuckles connivingly before completely closing it in front of him..

_..as if anyone would actually be fooled by this act..._

"AHAHAHA!"he yells out blasting through the door yet again, "Thought you could hide and fool a true man so easily!? well think agai!" –

"NO! my loooove!" we are all suddenly caught off guard by seiji who interrupts kouta as he kicks him from behind the head dropping him face first into the floor.

Seiji brutally lands on the back of koutas head with his front foot.

"MY LOVE!, my dear ayame! I heard your screams! but had to handle important manly business!" seiji says with a roll of toilet paper in his right hand...

_which must be because of Hitomi's cooking..it always does seems to give him and kouta stomach problems. .._

Seiji is unfazed as he stands over kouta, who cringes on the ground as seiji's feet are planted on the back of his head.

Seiji immediately scans the room, looking in all direction for me...

_even though Im clearly straight ahead from where he is..._

_..._

_it's becoming pretty clear now how much kouta's personality is rubbing off on his son..._

"My love! " seiji shouts out, finally realizing where I am…

he attempts to rush towards me as his right leg is caught by kouta who makes him fall down to his face.

the two both get up and immediately square off.

"IDIOT! how dare you interrupt a true man while he's speaking his words of manliness!" kouta snarls at seiji.

"and how you dare get in the way of a man's mission in rescuing his love!" seiji returns.

"Your no man in eyes"! kouta fires back.

"and neither are you in my mine!" seiji counters.

the two furiously growl and snarl at each other; facing off intensively with fire and determination in their eyes.

for a moment, it seems as if neither will be willing to back away until seiji's attention is caught by a soft sneeze from me; which he immediately responds to by darting away from kouta rushing towards me.

"haha! That's what I thought! I win!" kouta teases.

"OH whatever! I don't have time to deal with you! my love is in great danger! I sensed it!.."

...

_...Or you know, heard it like everyone else in the house di-_

"HEY MY LOVE! What happened to you?!" I hear seiji shout, suddenly appearing in front of my face as he absurdly cuts me away from my thoughts.

"are you alright my love!?" he ask's.

"um...yes, I am.."I respond trying to be mindful of his..."feelings"

"what the heck happened to you!?"

"BOYS!" kouta answers

"NO! there weren't any boys! Oh my goodness!" hitomi remarks.

"Then what was it!?" seiji repeats, Immediately grabbing and holding my hands…

"that remains to be determined.." hitomi answers

"HOWEVER! even though we don't know what exactly happened.. It was your idiot fathers seal that got in the way of helping ayame."

" What do you mean!? I thought he only placed a seal on my door? just so that I wouldn't leave my room at night!" seiji responds grouchily.

" no, unfortunately it wasn't just your room and even though I've told him time and time again to remove these seals blocking anyone from entering or leaving both yours and ayames room, he refuses to listen and persist on sticking to his overprotective ways and now look what happened?!"

"Ayame was going through something serious and I couldn't even enter in immediately to help her!"

"So as you can see my son...ITS ALL THANKS TO YOUR IDIOT DAD THAT WHERE IN THIS MESS!"

"YEA! it is all thanks to you! isn't it idiot dad!?" seiji agrees pointing at kouta and immediately running to him in order to give him a piece of his mind.

" Man! why do you have to be such an idiot!?" he scolds at kouta as he stands in front of him.

"Idiot!? How dare you! A mere boy with no chest hair call me that! and to even to challenge my actions!?"

" You don't even know the responsibility and values that a true man is both burdened and blessed with!" kouta responds back.

"oh yes I do!" seiji returns, getting on his tippy toes as he confronts his father.

" when it comes to my one true love; ayame! I have come to understand all that you've taught and preached to me about on what a true man is and also what he must know and believe in!"

"oh is that so!?" kouta questions his son as they both clash off like dears face to face.

"Yes it is so! and ayame! I want you to know that just like my idiot father always taught me, you don't have to be worry about anything anymore."

"It is my number rule and sworn duty as a man to protect all the woman of the house! Especially you my love!"

"So I won't ever let...um, whatever happen to you happen again! and that's a promise!"

" ...hmm..I see...!" kouta remarks as the two both grunt at each other furiously until..

kouta suddenly begins to cry.

"Ooh my son! I'm so proud!" he explodes with affection; hugging seiji with tears of joy.

"My boy!...no my young man! is showing the signs of a true man!

"I mean to show such understanding of the sacrifice and morals that a man must carry fourth and live by at your age is truly something to marvel at my boy! and I could not ask for anymore! Today I am a proud father indeed!" kouta rejoices happily.

"Thank you father! Its all thanks to you!" seiji utters as he also begins crying.

the two hold one another and continue to wallow in their intimate but..awkward moment...


	6. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 6

"OKAY! that's enough!" hitmoi shouts at the two with her arms to her side, and even more annoyed than before as she looks down on them of both as they jump back and collapse to the floor after being startled by her command.

The two now hold one another in other in fear as she approaches them.

Hitomi pulls them both by their ears as she drags them closer to me. She points down at the mess of slim and blood after letting their ears go.

"Seiji, kouta! go and get some hot water, bowls, sponges and all of my other cleaning supplies along with clean bed sheets! I want this place looking spotless and neat!" She demands.

"Yes ma'am!" the two answer standing with their chest puffed out and saluting like soldiers.

"And hey kouta!" hitomi calls out just as he's leaving the front door alongside seiji.

"….it's time, go get what's… needed for ayame."

He nods in silence as he leaves the room.

Hitomi sighs as she sits herself on the edge of my bed, her back to me...

As her long black straight hair faces me I can't help but detect the signs of distress in her body language...

"Are you alright…" I ask.

"..huh?! Oh yea! me? yea I'm fine!" she says turning to me with her best attempt at forming a believable smile...

She pauses as she notices my unconvinced face.

"its... it's nothing ayame...I'm fine she says turning away..."

...attempting to ease my concern as she continuously repeats these words to herself; softly under her breath...

"I'm...I'm fine..Im fine.." she says as if almost trying to convince herself more than convincing me.

…..

a long silence echoes through the room as I see hitomi thinking more to herself, fidgeting and playing with her fingers and hair that extends well past her torso.

she anxiously targets her nails, biting them, then moving on to her thumb; which she lightly nibbles as she continues to ponder on about...something...

_...whatever it is...it must really be bothering her for her to look so worried…_

Hitomi's never been good at hiding her emotions when they really bothered her.

even for a kunoichi of her talent and skill.

_I mean, it's all so strange...it's.. like she wants to say something…but doesn't know how to say it…_

I don't want to admit it, but I can't help but feel like I already know what is bothering her. I mean it should have been clear from the beginning but I guess I didn't want to acknowledge it.

_She must be still be concerned about the issue we've been arguing for nearly this whole year..._

This disagreement has caused a lot of tension between us as well as kouta and seiji; all the arguments and fighting me and her have had has strained our relationship especially.

_We actually haven't really even been talking at all lately …_

_..and we used to be so close…_

_..I really can't even blame her, when it comes down to it, I'm the one to blame for her worries and troubles. I don't even belong to her family by blood...I'm really just an orphan..._

_and yet I I've put her through so much..._

_I should really just listen and give in to what she wants….they've done so much for me but…it's just hard, even when I really feel like giving in and apologizing._

_I'm reminded why I'm doing this and what I'm fighting for ...and after that I just can't-_

_.and I won't back down.. Not for anything.._

_I just can't help but feel so ungrateful though…_

_..._

"hitomi, I'm sorry ."

"...What?" She says turning to me with a confused face.

" I'm sorry" I repeat " ...for…everything."

"sorry...?..Ayam –"

"NO hitomi! " I cut her off as she softly attempts to lure me away from what I know is truly bothering her...

"Hitomi! I'm sorry you all have to clean up this mess!"

" I'm sorry you have had to deal with me! And all my baggage! Like my health issues and... my stubbornness!"

"I'm sorry for being such a pain in the butt! a-an- and…"

"Aya -" she attempts to make out as I continue to interrupt her and refusing to stop. Tears overwhelm me as I fall into an upward fetal position, digging my head beneath and in-between my knees and folding my arms around them as well as my head.

".. I know what you're going to say and I don't need you to lie to me.. I already know everything! You and the others…you wish you didn't have to deal with me..."

She remains silence as I continue to rant softly with my head still down between my knees..

"..so...so I'm just...sorry...? Im –"

"THATS ENOUGH Ayame!" She finally yells out, startling me as I look up to her, and to my surprise, see her eyes watering with tears as well.

"It's not you ayame! it's..."

"look, none of what you say is true, we have never thought that way about you and ayame...…I don't ever want to hear you thinking like that again"

"...al- alright..." I respond, feeling slightly better as I sense the sincerity in her words.

"it's just that you've all taken me in when I had no one, and raised me here like your own and all I seem to do is cause trouble…have you worrying about me and my issues and I really feel guilty for what I've put you all through..."

"I see.." Hitomi responds after a long and heavy exhale...

" Ayame, I have something to tell you."

...

"Heh, really I should be the one who's' apologizing." she remarks moving away her tears after a sarcastic chuckle.


	7. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 7

"I really should have told you what's been going on…I just didn't know how to and all these thing where being advised to us ...we just couldn't tell you anyways, even though we wanted to..."

"what are talking about..?" I ask.

"We know ayame."

"...know what?" I cautiously answer, fearing that she may be referring to the pills and how I purposely don't take them.

Her eyes move away from me as she closes them for a moment.

"we know about your nightmares." she remarks opening them as she focus's her visual back to me; her iris's wide and circular black gaze sending a cold and eerie sensation to me.

"What? my nightmares?" I repeat, somewhat relived but still alarmed at her response.

"Yes, in fact you've had similar nightmares when you were younger and it was theorized that your violent outbreaks where somehow liked to them."

"This theory was confirmed as you begin taking the pills, we noticed that your nightmares faded along with your violent outbreaks and so for a time we believed you were cured from these dreams as well as your illness.

"however, we had noticed for a while now that your nightmares had come back, so we feared that the pills may have stopped working."

"now I want you to know, before revealing any kind of details to you about your condition, we have always been instructed by the medical specialists to run it by them first.."

"So we simply couldn't explain any of this to you at that time and as we noticed that your nightmares were getting worse, we –"

"Wait, how did you guys even know I was having nightmare?" I abruptly interrupt hitomi.

"We heard you ayame, we heard you screaming at night, and even heard you as you would talk to yourself, ranting these alarming violent tangents that really begin scaring us...you would even sleep walk at times..."

"kouta and I took you to the medical specialist and they confirmed that your body was slowly rejecting the pills and that they needed to do something fast or risk having this violent side of yours return like it once did as you were younger."

"They explained that this time however, it likely would be far more difficult to treat your condition given how much your mind and bodies matured and development over the years."

"They ran various test and examinations to fully understand what was going on witth you and after fully analyzing you, they concluded there was very little they could do to prevent or cure you from you condition at that point."

"in truth, they hardly had an answer for your condition when you were just a child..so it was only expected they'd be truly unfit to handle you as you are now…."

" Kouta and I asked for any possible solutions or options to help you, the only one that was given to us was to dangerously strengthen the pills potency to the point where it could severely damage your body and mind."

"they said that they needed to modify the pill in order to force your body to stop the effects and progression of your illness .."

"However it was made clear that this was a dangerous but temporary solution that would provide them with more time to find a safer cure... but as time went by they begin to see that they weren't having any progress in finding something safer."

"kouta and I were petrified and in disbelief as we started to realize the harsh reality of this predicament."

"It all seemed like a lose lose situation; the enhanced pills were said to be dangerous enough to kill you with continuous usage, but without them we would end up losing you regardless."

"Meanwhile, and just as we were instructed to hide this information from you in order to avoid alarming or distressing you and your mind in any way..."

"kouta and I had to be fragile with you, interacting cautiously in order to avoid revealing any of this information with you...and it was difficult ayame..."

"The enhanced pills took a while to start working and it was so hard just ignoring you while you screamed over the nights in agony before the pills begin to take effect..."

"and when they did finally take effect they weren't even consist and gradually became more dangerous to use as we waited for the medical specialist to come up with something safer.."

"So even when the pills seemed to be working and gave you "peaceful nights", we could not rest easy knowing that you could very well have not waken up from the effects of the pills forcing your body to do what it's not naturally supposed to do."

"And so for a while, kouta and I were experiencing sleepless nights as we worried about your illness..."

"at first we were surprised that you never seem to ask or come to us about your nightmares...we begin guessing that you didn't feel comfortable addressing it or somehow was not able to remember when you were having them...either ways, it worked to our advantage since we weren't allowed to address any of this with you anyways...

"From there, it didn't take long but kouta and i made the decision to seek out a cure for you on our own and after searching everywhere and ultimately giving up on medicine and even standard medical ninjutsu practices.

" we were fortunate enough to have a good friend of ours tell us about these three mystical toads that could help you with your condition. "

"I'm not sure if you remember this friend of ours, it's been quite some time since you've seen him…his name is Iaso.. he's been a family friend of ours for quite some time."

"You, Seiji and his son Ichigo used to play all the time together when you were all much younger."

"Isao told us about these three legendary toads; one red, one yellow and one blue, said to reside somewhere in the outskirts of Mount Myoboku . These three toads are legened to have extremely powerful healing powers; said to restore and heal almost anything"

"legend has it that they heal not just the body, but the mind and spirit. Releasing unique chakra's capable of tempering with even abstract concepts such as pain, fear and even mental trauma and disorders. "

"As Isao explained more to us about these ancient toads, he made it clear that everything he's heard about them so far has been mainly stories fabled and rumored by men and toads alike."

"but in truth, no one had actually ever seen or meet these three toads...they could have all very well not even existed.."

"Isao told us he would see what he could do and find regarding the myth of these three toads and after returning with extensive research he announced to us that he believed that there was a strong possibility that they not only existed, but that he could also find and know where they are located."

"He promised to go and seek them out within the massive and treacherous Mountains of Mount Myoboku and when the day came for him to leave he once again reminded us not to get our hopes too high.. this was still very much a long shot he said to us..."

"but we already had absolute faith in him finding these toads and returning with a cure...this was because aside from being a close and trustworthy friend, Isao was an amazing and powerful shinobi, who was well known and regarded in the village for his close relations and affinity with the toads and their Ninjustu. "

"As he stood in front of us in his final moments before leaving, he told us the reason why we could not go off with him."

"Apart from not being contracted with the toads, we would be unfit to travel the unfamiliar maze's and potential traps that could cause us to transform into toads for the rest of our lives...it would simply be to risking and we would only slow him down since we would also require extensive understanding of Senjustu and natural energy in order travel safely with him."

" So only Isao could complete this mission...and he was so humble and gracious about it all as he told us briefly about his plan and also how his two accomplices traveling with him had already had an idea of where to find these three toads."

"The two where toads themselves, small and rather old looking that claimed to be married as they stood on Isao's shoulders."

"I believe their names where Fukasaku and Shima."

"They claimed to know nearly everything about the mountain and also how they've been searching for these toads themselves and had through the years gathered enough information to pinpoint their hidden location."

"Isao left off that day and returned four and a half months later just this evening with large wooden barrels of what he claim to be the cure for you. "

"He told us earlier today about his voyage and how when he found the three toads deep within a hidden oasis that they were not at all how he expected them to be."

"Each of them was well within ten stories high but could transform themselves into the size of a fly, they could turn invisible and intangible at will and would do so whenever they noticed anything that saw or came near them. They also swallowed any being that dared to enter their oasis; which explains why no one knew or even saw them."

"He told us that for a while he really didn't know how he was going to bring back a cure as he tried for months to capture them."

"He couldn't see or touch them whenever they spotted him so it took him quite a while but he eventually discovered the secrets of their power, he figured out that their healing power was mainly in their saliva.."

"wait... saliva?" I respond feeling the disturbing green slim still linger in my stomach...

"yes... saliva...i'm sorry ayame but it was the only way.." she responds pausing as she notices my disgusted reaction.

"...their healing power was transferred within the waters of the oasis they lived and bathed in so Isaso took barrels of that water with him. he told us that the water would not work as well as the saliva but since he only could manage to take such small amount of the saliva, he decided to bring more than enough of cure that still remained in the oasis water."

hitomi removes the blood stained sheets away from my bed as she helps me up to my feet.

"...Judging from what happened tonight, it looks your body's reached its limit with the pills."

...

"We were very lucky ayame" she says hugging me.


	8. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 8

"I'm sorry that you've had to suffer alone...I should have been there to help you through it...even with what I've told you there simply isn't an excuse for what you've had to endure...I just hope you can forgive us for keeping this from you..."

" sometimes keeping the truth away from those you love is the only way you can protect them...I want you to always remember this..." she says holding me tighter around her arms as her voice begins to slowly break down...

"Always remember this ayame.…everything we do is to protect u…EVERYTHING..so please... just remember this...no matter what happens...just remember ...it's...it's all meant to protect you in the end..."

" you're a special girl, more special than you could ever imagine… we want only the best for you because we lov-"

" HAHA! I beat you!" kouta shouts interrupting hitomi.

"Hey no you cheated! I want a rematch!" seiji snarls back at kouta with both arms full of clean bed sheets, towels and various cleaning supplies.

"oh whatever! don't be a sore loser!...thats not manly!" kouta utters carrying two large wooden barrels.

"Hey! Where back!" seiji joyfully exclaims as I see Hitomi brushing away her tears and backing away from me.

" um, good!" she responds trying to put back her tough face.

".. hey is everything alright mom? you look -"

" I look what!?" hitomi butts in aggressively, scolding at him as he backs away from his statement.

"Nothing! never mind!" he panics cowering back.

"ah huh, that's what I thought" she states folding her arms, "now get to work!"

"Yes maam!" seiji responds rushing to the mess beneath my bed and beginning to clean it.

" so how are you are feeling!?" kouta asks me as he approaches hitomi.

"I'm..a lot better now..." I answer.

"gooood! gooood.." he says dropping the barrels to the ground and stretching out his body.

he pauses for a moment as he catches the discomfort and indifference in my tone and body language.

He then looks at hitomi who despite her best effort showcase's similar mannerisms.

it doesn't take long for him to figure out what we've been discussing from there..

"... you know...it wasn't easy ayame.. doing what we did," he calmly speaks out, opening the lids of the barrels and soaking them with mutiplie towels.

" I'm sure hitomi's told this to you already but I want you to hear it for me ayame.."

...

"...I understand.." I respond looking away at him.

for some reason...I can't help but feel a little angry now...I feel like an even bigger freak than before..like some crazy ticking time bomb..it's almost embarrassing..

hitomi approaches kouta and gives him a look as he attempts to speak out more.

she flicks her head over to seiji who is in his own world humming away as he cleans and scrubs joyfully. kouta then stops himself from continuing, handing her the soaked towels.

"please lay over on your bed, we still need to pour some of this water in your body to begin fully healing you." she says.

"okay.." I respond.

"do you feel anything?" hitomi asks me, after laying one of the towel's on my right arm.

"no.." I reply...

"hmm...than it's just as Isao told us..."

"your chakra flow is not stable, and in order to receive the effects of the water, your chakra must be actively stable and fluctuating.."

"..dammit, these pills really did more damage than we expected.."

"even though you gain your energy and composure back right now the effects and years of damages of the pills still remain in your system."

" it's strong stuff so your body won't be able to heal or control chakra properly on its own for while... and since the water needs stable fluctuating chakra to activate you will need me or kouta emitting and monitoring some of our own chakra into the wet towels so that the cure can activate and immediately delve into your pours and steadily further into your body. "

"I would personally do it all myself but kouta's much more skilled at chakra control so he'll more than likely be the one helping you through this healing process...which could last for the next couple of weeks...to various months from what Isao told us..."

"it's really a shame that we couldn't collect more of the saliva, that seemed to work on you regardless of how stable chakra was. "

"I used just about all of it when I caught you nearly past out on the ground... I shouldn't of used so much of the saliva on you but at that moment I panicked and couldn't help myself.."

"I really wasn't thinking but we still have more than enough of the cure in the water..we just need to have it laid on most on your body so it can take greater effect on you...we'll soak as much water as we can within these towels and lay them on separate parts of you limbs."

"here kouta" she says handing him the towel, hitomi then grabs four more towels soaking them with the water.

she lays two on both my arms and another two on each of my legs.

"place the towel I've given you on top her belly. "she tells kouta.

kouta does so, closing his eye as he slightly holds his hand on top of the towel on my belly.

he raises his other hand, summoning four clones of himself. Each clone heads to each part of my limbs where the towels lay and also hold their hand over the towels and begin focusing their chakra into them.

I can feel the effects of the cure already happening...

it's feels amazing...like laying down a soft cloud that massages you...

" how is the cleaning going? it's getting late enough as it is and you need to be in bed soon." hitomi switches over to seiji.

"It's going great! I've already finished the floors, just need to pick up these clothes on the ground!" seiji reply's.

" you can thank your idiot father for that!" hitomi scolds over to one of kouta clones, smacking the back of its head.

"Tell me about! but I'm almost done, I'll just need to hurry it up bit!..hmm..Hey! um where should I put all of ayame's clothes!?" seiji asks out loudly...picking up the worst possible piece of clothing he could have picked from the floor…

A black, slim and long sleeved turtled necked hoodie...

with the uchiha logo branded behind it.


	9. Uchiha Ayame chapter 1: Part 9

_gosh that really didn't needed to be seen just now..._

especially by Hitomi, who also now sees my other clothing on the floor branding the the uchiha logo as well...

..._ God damn you Seiji! I know you don't mean to cause any trouble...but you can be such a clueless dumbass sometimes!_

My heart stops as the logo continue to stand out clear for everyone to see in his hands.

Soon a dead silence overwhelms the atmosphere of the room.

The tension suddenly becomes thicker in the air with pure silence echoing so noticeably that even Seiji steadily begins to pick up on the disturbance he caused…

Hitomi silently walks up to him, stopping directly in front of him.

Seiji is frozen, like a statue unable to move as he stares at her sudden cold and intimidating presence.

she slowly reaches out to his head, grabbing the hoodie away from him..Seiji cautiously and slowly moves away from her as he tries to find something else to clean…

...

more silence ensues as hitomi continue stands where she is, staring deeply at logo of the hoodie...

we all continue to remain quite...Kouta merely continues to send out chakra to me as he calmly remains cool, controlled and...

Normal.

_OH MY GOD! This must be REALLY bad!..They are all never this quiet! or calm ….it's actually uncomfortable!_

_I'm not used to them acting like this at all.._

_This tension is too much to take...I can't believe I'm saying this but for the first time I'm wishing for sieji to tell me he his crazy ideas of how where soul mates or for kouta to talk about his manliness...or or... Boys even! and how I'm supposedly hiding! or or...I don't know…ANYTHING to happen in order switch the attention from that hoodie!_

"IM LEARNING A LOT FROM ITSUKI!..." I shout out unexpectedly...

" he's says at this rate my goal of becoming hokage won't take long to achieve at all!...maybe in the next few month I'll be ask to take the position!" I retort jokingly and desperately trying to change the center of focus...even going as far as to make a joke...

_which I never do..._

hitomi does not entertain my desperate attempt as she continues to stand in silence...it's clear to see that she is not in the mood.

"There are alot of clothes all over your floor ayame." she suddenly speaks out firmly, her back still to me while holding the hoodie up with both hands as all eyes continue to be on her.

she continues to stare deeply at the hoodie before taking a deep breath..

"These clothes of yours...do you want me to remove them from here? They look…damaged a little actually…perhaps you should throw them away…" she responds rather… Calmly

...

It's happening again... That split moment where I feel like I should be in giving in to what she wants me to...but aside from being a little angry for being lie to ...I still can't...and only I truly know why...

"No" I respond …noticing clearly that the clothes are not damaged at all.

"its fine I want to keep them…"

She turns her to head to me and gives me such an enraged face..

_oh man...here it comes. Another big argument. She must have really had enough...I'm almost tempted to...but I can't..._

"ayame..." she makes out angrily yet softly under hear mouth...she grips the hoodie tightly as I notice her fight her desire to start another huge argument about this topic...

I glance over to kouta and then seiji...

kouta is silent, calm and serious as his eyes continue to remain closed.

I know it's not only because he is concentrating on sending chakra... he is also upset about what's occurring right now...

"So.. your still going to do this...?" she responds to me...

I do not answer.

"I guess ..you weren't that sorry after all. " she says dropping the hoodie to the floor and storming out of my room..

_That one really hurt me.._

I feel like so horrible, like crying; there's so much guilt that overwhelms as i see seiji notice my reaction.

he drops his cleaning supplies and attempts to walk forward to me.

"Seiji, go to bed." kouta commands, stopping him from his tracks.

"You've done enough cleaning for tonight." he continues.

"...yea, But…I just want to see if ayame is alri –

"SEIJ!..." kouta interjects, with a deep and frightening presence that actually even scares me.

_God…I've never seen kouta like this..._

Seiji pauses for a moment, looking angered as he holds back his tears and storms out of the room.

kouta appears unfazed by this as he continues my treatment.

_man, that brutal...I know kouta cares for seiji he was very __cold just now._

And he still appears so nonchalant about it, with his eyes remaining closed and his mood and body remaining collected and calm…

_gosh, now I feel even worse... seiji looked like he was going breakdown and cry..._

_I've never seen kouta talk to his son like that..._

…

A loud thunder strikes from outside as half an hour passes, and Kouta and his clones continue to send chakra into the towels placed on me.

A clone of kouta removes the towel on top of my head as he is handed an injection needle from the original kouta, who firmly holds and squeezes my right arm as he tells me to brace myself.

The injection doesn't hurt too much as they remove the needle from my arm.

_But whoa..I feel so tired all of sudden.._

"that injection will send your body to sleep in moments, you probably won't even notice when it happens." he says..

"alright..." I softy mutter…

I begin thinking of so many things as I feel the effects of the last injection slowly tiring me…

_What should I do? Should I try to make peace with hitomi? Do I even really want to after hearing everything tonight?..._

_It's all so overwhelming. It's ….so…so…sss-….._

"Good night ayame."

Is all I'm able to make out from kouta as the last bit of effort to stay awake leaves me in a soothing, blissful, but unexpected moment.


	10. Senju Satsuki Chapter 2: part 1

**Chapter 2 - Senju Satsuki**

"Ituski sensui?! What are you doing here so late?!" I immediately ask my notoriously lazy and now drenched sensei as he stands outside of the front door of my house; the rain pouring heavily on him as he attempts to shield some of it away with his arms high above.

"hey satsuki! Im sorry to bother you so late! but I just really needed to talk to you before I left the village on some important business!" he responds, trying to shout over the loud and powerful rain.

"Important business?!" I repeat.

"yea! Well, it is a mission but not exactly an average one! Heh! The ANBU personally requested my help and I!-"

" Oh my! is that Nara itsuki's voice I hear?! Oh it is! it is! oh joy! More food for me to cook then!" my mother announces behind me as she fully opens the half opened door I held over itsuki.

"Mr. itsuki! my, my, I'm so pleased to see my daughters sensei show up for our late night dinner! ohohohoho!" she laughs away. "It's been so long since I've seen you! and please excuse my ease dropping but I overheard a bit of what you were saying to my daughter about leaving and now I feel that I really must feed you! I can already see how much skininer you've gotten since we meet!" she speaks reaching out and examining his right arm.

"oh no, ma'am please, i really need to be going! I have a lot ah- aaaaah!" Itsuki sensei screams being pulled by his arm and dragged into my house by my mother.

"Nonsense!" she exclaims forcefully siting down around our dinner table.

"I insist! You will to eat here! And leave with enough food in your stomach to last you until you come back to the village! ohohohoho!" she laughs away setting up a plate in front him.

"..but I!...ugh.." he sighs being overwhelmed by my mother's enthusiasm and persistence ;her bright red checks and thinly sculpted pale face lighting up with joy and eagerness.

"alright, alright, I'll have something before I leave then... thank you..." Itsuki sensei reluctantly gives in trying to be polite.

_poor itsuki sensei...I feel sorry for him..._

he's not used to eating the way me and family eat and he already knows and witnessed just how much my mom cooks and feeds people.

Our family alone can average more than 10 meals a day, So we've become pretty infamous because of our appetites; everyone even calls us inhuman because of it.

"so right then!" my mother announces after filling up Itsuki's plate.

" now, I shall return with the second course of the appetizers!" She joyfully sings out as she scurries her way back to the kitchen.

"Second course of the appetizers?!" itsuki responds in disbelief, looking at the large array of food already filled in his plate.

Itsuki sensai then looks up from his plate with an even more shocked look as he sees the rest of food on the dinner table.

The variety, depth and intoxicating aroma of dishes cooked by my mother

Immediately stuns and overwhelms him as he shallows a gulp of spit.

...

"This...is unreal..." itsuki sensei mutters to himself.

"im sorry, sensei." I apologies to him, sitting across the large dinner table.

" you know how my mother is itsuki sensei, she loves cooking and feeding people so much and now you probably won't leave until you're as fat as my father!" I say beginning to chuckle.

"Yes yes...I know." he responds sighing and rubbing his forehead in frustration. "I was hoping to avoid your mother to be honest, that's why i didn't try to come inside your home when you answered your door and even stopped you as tried to completely open your front door despite the harsh weather outside."

"it's funny." he says beginning to eat some of the food in his plate. "the hokage certainly has the perfect wife to satisfy his hunger."

"Yea, I don't feel like any other woman could satisfy his hunger like my mother can!" I respond.

"Indeed" itsuki agrees. "Although, I wouldn't say that he is the only one that lucked out. You also lucked out by having the perfect mother to feed your own inhuman appetite as well and I've never understood how you don't seem to ever gain any weight depite the way you eat; which easily

rivals the way your fathers eats."

"Yep!" i I respond reaching out for 4 massive rice balls in a bowl full of them on the table.

In seconds I devour each in just a few bites as itsuki sensai watches in horror.

"I.- don'-knnnwow, I'm luukk-kcuy I gguse-s" I attempt to say with a mouth full of rice balls.

...

Itsuki sensei pauses for a moment before speaking. "indeed, you and your father are simply to much alike...in fact, you both even share the same uncanny resemblance to your ancestor; The First hokage. It's unbelievable how similar you both look to him. Although, everyone does say that your father looks like in over inflated akimichi clan version of the First, while you look like a young female version of the First. and I must say, I certainly can't help but agree with those comparisons."

"hmm..I don't know." I respond licking my fingers in order to be rid of each delicious rice that remained on them.

"I mean, I guess you could say that, I do hear everyone say that about us; especially towards my dad…Hmm..how has that chubby grizzly bear been? He barely comes home these days and when he does he seems to be too exhausted to train me like he's always done since I was practically a baby!"

"hahaha! practically a baby? " itsuki sensai repeats spewing out tea in laughter. " you know, that actually does sound like something he would try and do. The man has always been so keen on your progression as a kunoichi…but as for his recent absence go, well, you have to understand satsuki your father is a busy man; he is the hokage after all and he's been especially busy lately consulting with his advisors about the village's status and good standing with the other hidden villages."

" it's regrettable to say" itsuki sensai states changing his demeanor to a more serious tone. "but despite the peace and tranquility that's remain within the hidden villages for nearly more than 80 years Fourth shinobi war, The relation between the villages seem to be appearing a bit shaky once more; Especially with the newly announced kages in Amegakure and Sunagakure. So you see, it's become even more essential to reinforce the peace treaty that was agreed on by all the hidden villages after the war."

...

Itsuki sensei pauses for a moment as he shifts his head to the side and spaces out briefly.

he then pulls back his chair, resting on it's heel as he leans back with hands resting on his head.

"Times like these are very unsettling to the villagers" he begins "everyone seems to be so paranoid and scared of conflict and the potential of war... even it appears in the most insignificant way, no one wants the idea to shape in any possible way... the pain and death from our history, that's been fully removed from our world for so long is something so many of us are willing to do anything to prevent from resurfacing.."

Itsuki sensei pause once more, moving his eyes to me. "Hmph, in short satsuki, Your father has a lot of heads watching over him, nagging him about his duties and as the hokage, his job is not only to keep the village safe, but also keep his people feeling safe..do you understand?

" I understand itsuki sensai, and I really don't mean to be selfish, I'd just really like for him to be around a little more often, my 15th birthday is just in a few weeks and at the rate he's been going, he's not even going to see me that day."

" awww! don't say that my dear suki suki! He'll make it!" my mom responds coming in with a massive tray of noodles and steamed vegetables.

She lays the large tray near the center of the table. Her long, thin and skinny frame reaching out across the variety of foods she prepared.

my mother continues to comfort me with her words as she pours itsuki sensei some tea.

" thank you" he says taking a sip.

"I hope your right mom, I really do hope he's able to do what you're telling me." I mutter sipping some tea she pours for me as well.

" oh I am right! so don't you worry my dear, your father maybe seen as the leader and head Concho of the village, but when it comes up to me telling him what to do, he already knows who's in charge! and I'm also not afraid to limit his meals to just seven a day to remind him!"

"just...seven a day...?" itsuki sensei repeats nervously. " Yes that sounds very… horrific" he remarks choking briefly after hearing the number of meals.

" I know! I know! it's drastic!" my mother weeps as she stirs the hot steaming noodles. "I would feel so cruel leaving him with just that to eat each day! But tough times call for desperate measures! Heck, I may even remove the appetizers in-between those seven meals! but only if I really need to! and believe me my daughter, if I do that he will at the very least make it to your birthday, I promise thi- "

" ...oh my! No!" my mother suddenly yells out after sniffing the air. "My Fish is burning!" we hear her cry out, rushing back to the kitchen.


	11. Senju Satsuki Chapter 2: part 2

"Alright! on to business!" itsuki sensei says quickly clearing his voice, he then franticly searches his pockets; reaching into one of the top pouches in his jounin jacket and bringing out a piece of paper that's folded in half inside.

_jeez, he seems to be in a hurry all of sudden..._

He's probably trying to rush now that my mother's preoccupied by the burning fish she was preparing. I'm sure he wants to use this opportunity to say what he needs to say before she returns with more food. Itsuki sensai briefly looks down at the folded paper in his hand as he lays it on the dinner table.

...

"Satsuki, I need you to fully understand what I am about to tell you. You see, what's written in this note is something of such great importance that I simply could not just say it you."

...

"I had to write it down on this paper." He adds, lightly tapping the note to my direction.

His expression does not change or falter even for a moment.

_He looks so serious.._

" what's on it" I ask, standing up from my chair and walking towards him.

I feel slightly nervous and a bit intimated as I get closer and closer; noticing his light brown eyes as they focus only to me as he ignores the subtle streaks of his straight dark brown hair attempting to obscure his sight.

"just read it." he says calmly with a smile.

"This note will reveal everything to you, I just hope that I made the right decision in trusting you with this task...you could even call it a mission I suppose. And I'll be honest with you satsuki, I'm still not entirely sure if you're ready for it.."

he takes a whiff of the pleasantly steamy aroma exuding from his cup, sipping it before continuing. "This mission I have given you certainly won't be an easy one for you to complete," he begins. "You'll need help from your teammates. I have faith that you'll be able to complete this mission together, especially with your excellent leadership skills."

"I mean aside from being a true prodigy, you've always displayed the most promise of any developing kunoichi or shinobi I've ever seen."

"it's clear to see that your easily the most promising prospect this village has seen for quite some time."

" thank you! I always try my best! " I reply happily waving the V sign.

"heh," he chuckles, " It's no surprise that ayame was so dead set on being able to compete with you for so long...she's told me quite a bit about her rivalry with you and how she desperately wanted to be your equal even before you three where assigned to me."

"ugh yea, don't remind" I snarl, slapping my head at the thought of reminiscing the days we would compete with another.

"yea, you two where quite the hand full," he responds, adding sugar to his tea and stirring it. "i mean man, the rivalry between the both of was fierce and unbearable; you both would argue and compete over everything!"

"hey now, she started it itsuki sensei." my eyes roll as I'm momentarily hit with the thoughts and frustration I had over the matter.

" in fact, it was like she was obsessed with beating me and showing me that she was on my level, which in turn, made me obsessed in keeping the gap between us as it was. Especially as I saw her reaching closer in strength to me..."

I pause before continuing as a moment of rationale and compassion hits me and I begin recollecting my own faults. " but I guess I really just wanted to keep feeling special by having no equal.."

"yes, you did, I'm glad you've matured enough to see that." itsuki sensai remarks, whipping his mouth lightly with his dinner napkin. "The rivalry between you two seemed to get worse as you both continued to blame one another instead of looking at your own actions."

"I'm sure you know by now but ayame had always been envious of you satsuki, since she first meet you when you were all just young children entering the academy. she told me that for some reason, she's always had trouble connecting with others despite her best efforts; making friends for her seemed to be a lost cause. And aside from seiji, who was already living with her at the time, she really didn't have anyone else to call friend and so when she saw you, with how popular, admired and loved you were by everyone; she immediately wanted the same, but also something more, she wanted to be acknowledged by you and the best way her younger self could think of doing so was to be seen as at your equal...or rival."

"yea.." I begin to make out, taking a seat beside him and grabbing a hand full of noodles and shrimp with my hand and stuffing it all in my mouth.

"hoon-se-t-"

please satsuki." he interrupts, "shallow before you speak."

"oh, sorr-yy-r.." I attempt to respond, engulfing the large array of noodles and shrimp that completely surrounded my cheeks.

I cough lightly before attempting to speak again. "sorry about that!"

"it's fine, I've gotten pretty used to your lack of table manners." he exclaims with yet another light hearted smile. " but please, continue."

"yea, I mean I pretty much wanted to agree with everything you said, and honestly I'll even admit it, before ayame, I was pretty full of myself...I mean it was hard not to be; ever since I was able to showcase my abilities at such a young age everyone referred to me as this prodigy...one born like no other they'd always say... they praised me for being so much like the first hokage and given how I was the only one in his bloodline born with his Mokuton kekkei genkai many started believing me to be his second coming."

I lean my chair back, relaxing my body against it as I think deeper into my past. "There was so much pressure for me not just to successes itsuki sensei, but also to overachieve and the few times I faltered even a little. I would notice people change the way they looked at me, that is, until they saw me rise up again. It took me a while to realize all of this but with the help and support from all of you I eventually relieved that the ones that truly admired and "cared" for me where not the villagers...but you, seiji and ayame.

"you all truly cared about me and made me feel like I was special, not because of what I could do, but because of the person I was and could eventually become and now I'd do anything for you guys! just looking back at the silly fights we had makes me feel so silly…I'm so glad me and ayame have become so close; were like sisters now! and heck, in these past years, our entire team of four have grown and been through so much together it's like where a family! I'm so lucky to have you guys!"

"mhm and we are lucky to you have you..especially myself...which brings us back to that note I brought" itsuki sensai states, flicking his head at the folded paper in front of him." I trust only you enough to get this job done." he adds, picking up the note and holding it out for me to grab.

"thank you." I reply getting up from my seat and taking it.

I'm so glad itsuki sensai is so confident in me and the others; it makes me feel really good hearing him have so much faith in us.

_now I can't let him down! but first things first... I've return to the plate I started on before he got here! it's getting cold!"_

I begin walking back to where I initially sat as I unfold the note and prepare to read it.

_let see what this important mission is all about…_

_…_

_"Satsuki, While I'm gone please complete the following."_

_"Clean and dust out my apartment"_

"Make my bed"

_"Water all my plants"_

_"Organize my book collection in alphabetical order."_

_"take my dogs out for a walk."_

_"clean and take out all of my garbage."_

_"clean the kitchen, bathrooms and whip the windows with the directions I've set up."_

_..._

I come to an abrupt halt after reading half way through the note.

I feel the initial sensation of nervousness, coupled with the sense of honor and acknowledgment from itsuki sensei's words steadily subsiding within me as I begin crumpling the paper in my hand.

" itsuki sensei." I call out to him, my eyes closed and my back to him as my mouth trembles at my efforts to remain calm.

" yes." he responds calmly.

"this... important mission you've just handed me.. looks a lot like more like a LAZY man's list of chores..!"

"hmm..does it now? Maybe your just not able to grasp the level of importance and honor there is in being bestowed such duties...but I assure you, that note contains missions of the upmost importance that must be dealt with immediately and- "

"YOUR JUST BEING A LAZY BASTARD AGAIN! " I shout out, cutting him off.

I charge towards him leaping on top of the dinner table, and upon reaching him, I point my finger to him in furry. " you always try to find some way to pull this crap!" I scold out to him, throwing the note at his head, but no avail, as he calmly moves his head to the side just in time and evades the note from hitting him.

Which only angers me more.

" may I have some more tea." he asks , reaching his cup out and smiling politely.

"NO! you can't have anymore!" I answer in rage, kicking his cup away. "and quit trying to change the subject and acting all calm!"

"but -"

"I said quit it!" I yell out picking up a large pot filled with chicken and vegetable as I aim it at him."Ha! No way escape to this one!" I rejoice manically.

"okay! okay! okay!" he submits, cowering in fear as I hold the pot ready to fire.

_Good! he doesn't know I'm bluffing! I'd never waist precious food like that!_

"I just really needed those errands done satsuki! and I thought hey! who better to get the job done then the team I cared and look after for all this time right?"

"oh don't give me that!" I respond." You've been this way ever since we we've meet you, you've always been too lazy to do your own errands so you always try to find clever ways to make us do them for you! well no more! it's clear to see that your just a lazy bastard! So on behalf of team Itsuki, we will not be doing any more errands for you again! so don't even bother trying to ask anymore!"

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry! just please, drop that pot of food! I'm terrified of your mothers ridiculous amount cooking!" he pleads.

"pfft, coward!" I mutter gradually dropping the large pot on the table.

"whew." he sighs in relief " thank you for that!... now, please just hear me out now...I anticipated that you may react like this so I've brought you some incentive to do my...tasks."

"pfft! There isn't anything that you could possibly say or do that would ever! get – me - to...agree..is that what I think it is? " I ask in disbelief as itsuki sensei waves the plantlet to the newly opened hot springs resort.

"I've already set up the reservation, my treat! and of course all you eat!.." he replies with a sinister smile. "it can all be yours and your teammates if you all complete what's on that list!"

_dammit! that bastard...bribing me with food...he knows I can't resist..!_

"so what do you say?" he asks with confidence.

...

"hmm.." I mutter, stepping off of the table and walking closer to him in silence.

I raise my hand up high in front of him as he flitches back quickly; startled by action as he anticipates a violent rejection to his offer.

"Deal!" I announce to his surprise, snatching the plantlets from him.

"whew! alright then! That went a lot better than I expected!" he retorts as we both shake on it.

_hehehe, oh you have no idea JUST how well that went my dear sensei!_

I had heard that this resort has an all you can eat buffet, filled with a selection of foods from all over the world and its all gonna be on his tab.

_payback time!_

"I can't wait! All three of us are going to have so fun" I rejoice with excitement.

...

"yes..i'm sure you all will...however satsuki, I actually need to talk you about your teammates.. " he states standing from his chair and reaching down on the floor to pick up the note.

As itsuki sensei hands me the note I notice his face suddenly appear more serious.

"This list doesn't actually tell you everything I need to be handled while I'm gone...however, I do want to stress what's written at the very bottom."

I look down at note, searching for the very last task written." Complete a C Ranked mission " I recite, reading from the final task.

"I'm sure you've already notice." Itsuki sensei begins " but seiji needs more on the field practice, he's lacking in a lot of necessary skills that he needs to refine in order to progress as a shinobi. I've already picked out the mission for you all take in order to do just that…but I want you to understand satsuki, This particular task must be completeted and held above the other task's in that list…is that clear?"

"Yes, it is sensei." I answer.

"Alright, now aside from that there's also one last thing I'll need you to do...it's something that's not on the list but easily the most important task I'll need for to do while gone..."

...

" What... is It..?" I ask him, noticing his off and hesitant mannerisms.

He sighs before attempting to speak." Satsuki, I want you to watch after your teammates...you know this...however, more specifically...I want you to play close attention to ayame.."

"Ayame?" I repeat.

"yes." He answers.

"why?... is there something going with her..."

" it's complicated...But I need you to just keep an eye on her…take notes if you need to, watch what she does, tell me everything you see...but don't allow her to find out what your doing…just be very discreet and get as much information about her as possible..can you do that for me?"

…

I do not answer him; remaining quiet as I contemplate my response.

He sighs, closing his eyes momentarily. "do you have problem with this?"

"Yes, sensei…I do actually, I honestly don't feel right doing it." I reply.

" that's understandable satsuki, and believe me, I wouldn't be asking you to do this unless I had no other choice…but you have to understand, You're the closet person to her, she'll only feel comfortable sharing her thoughts and concerns with you, no one else…not even seiji...I know this isn't something easy for you to do..but it's in best her best interest that you do this… she's been concerning me lately… and she seems more closed off, distant..I can't get her to talk to me the way she used to. I'm sure you've noticed some of what I'm saying."

" yea.. but I mean she's kind of always been that way sensai." I mutter as I continue to focus my eye sight away from him.

" yes..I suppose satsuki...however, its never been to this extent" he states attempting to reach over my shoulder in order comfort and get my attention to him once." Satsuki please jus–"

"ohohohohohoh" we suddenly catch my mother's laugh intersect our conversation. "I'm almost done you two! the appetizers couldn't be saved but I still have enough food here to feed an entire village!" she hollers out joyfully from the kitchen.

"Alright! Time to leave!" itsuki sensei suddenly remarks, backing away from me." tell your mother I appreciated tbe meal and hospitality! I'll just let myself out now!" he states jokingly; attempting to lighten the mood.

I don't respond, retaining my firm expression as he gradually begins walk away.

…..

"Satsuki…" he states stopping from a moment. " Please do as I've requested…it's in ayames best interest. I promise you this.."

...

"I'll try sensai…" I respond, still feeling uneasy about the request.

"Thank you ayame" he retorts back as he walks away from the dining room.

A Powerful Thunder Strike from outside echoes through my ears as I hear the sound of my front door closing along side with it.

_Hmph_.

…..

I don't know what's stranger now, the request I just accepted from itsuki sensei, or the fact that I've suddenly lost my appetite.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey there readers, I just wanted to take this moment to thank everyone that's taken the time to read through my fic and especially review follow it. I get considerably more motivated to write more and to the best of my ability when I receive that kind of acknowledgment so I really appreciate those that have done so.**

**Aside from that, I would like to also take this time to apologies for all the grammatical errors and formatting/layout issue's I've been having and presenting you readers with... I'm still fairly new to this site ( and writing in general) so I certainly have much to improve on but I promise I will do my best to stay on top of these issue's of my mine.**

**Thank you all again.**


End file.
